Romania Turns to EC over 'UK Discrimination' against Its Students

Romania has approached the European Commission over the British government's decision to suspend some grants and loans to Bulgarian and Romanian students.

Some 7 ,500 Romanian and Bulgarian students had their financial support - fees and maintenance allowance - frozen without warning in November last year.

In a letter to EU Justice Commissioner Viviane Reding and Commissioner for Education, Androulla Vassiliou, the Romanian government "requested clarification on whether this decision complies with European legislation."

"The ministry wants to make sure that the measures adopted by the Member States shall not discriminate against Romanian citizens," added a source from the Romanian Ministry.

The British government said it suspended the grants and loans after noticing an upsurge in the number of students from the two countries applying for maintenance support. Officials asked them for fresh proof they had been resident in the UK for the qualifying three years.

The move coincided with increasingly hostile rhetoric about the anticipated influx of "beggars and benefits cheats" from the two countries when working restrictions to Britain were lifted on 1 January.

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Maybe students should get their loans from their own countries instead of forcing UK taxpayers to repay their bad debts. Why should UK students have to pay more and more because students from other countries not only take their university places but also get the UK taxpayer to fund them - a facility not available to UK students?

This is because lots of 'students' we're taking a grant then not attending school but working in black economy. Others with loans have finished courses then left the UK without any repayments as per the loan contract. In other words many students were committing fraud and have there for spoiled the UK' s generosity for genuine students.